Woman injured at light rail crossing

December 01, 1993

A 42-year-old Linthicum woman suffered minor injuries when her car was struck by a light rail train yesterday morning.

Debra Gloria Ferrick of the 600 block of Andover Road was driving south on Camp Meade Road when she tried to drive across the light rail grade crossing after the gates had come down, said Todd Spangler, spokesman for the Mass Transit Administration.

Ms. Ferrick was trapped between the gates when a northbound train struck the El Camino's left rear section at 7:20 a.m. The train was going about 20 mph, the posted limit, Mr. Spangler said.

Mr. Spangler said Ms. Ferrick told MTA police that her car stalled in the intersection. No charges will be brought against her, he said.

Kelvin Scribner of Linthicum, a witness, said Ms. Ferrick braked when the warning lights came on but misjudged and entered the crossing. She tried to back up, he said, but the back of her car got caught in the gate. She then tried to move forward, he said.

"She was just trying not to get in the way of the train," Mr. Scribner said. "I'm not sure I'd place all the blame on her."

The light rail car's front coupler and side panels were slightly damaged. No passengers were hurt, but the accident delayed commuters in each direction for about 20 minutes.

Anti-drug program to begin in Pumphrey

An after-school program aimed at steering Pumphrey youths away from drugs, boosting their self-esteem and strengthening their learning skills is to begin in January at the Lloyd Keaser Community Center.

The Taxpayers Improvement Association of Patapsco Park has received a 10-month, $10,000 Family Preservation Limited Grant from the United Way to run the program.

The association had been working for two years to raise the money.

The program will offer tutoring, field trips, peer support, career planning, exposure to the arts, lessons in the value of community involvement and drug-awareness education for youths from 5 to 17 years old, said Yolande Dickerson, the Keaser center's program director.

She estimates that 50 youths will come to the center for the services.

Parent volunteers will begin a three-week training session Saturday at the center to learn how to conduct the programs. Twenty-eight parents have expressed an interest, Ms. Dickerson said.

The center will use a Kwanzaa celebration from Dec. 27-30 to begin the program, she said.

Depending on parents' schedules, Ms. Dickerson said, the children will be able to come to the center at least twice a week after school.